The History of Sandwiches

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SandwichHistory.htm

I came across this site while trying to find something definitive to answer the question someone posted on chowhound about the chain of "French Markets" popping up all over. I didn't find that (guess I'll just have to post that they shouldn't be mistaken for real farmers' markets) but this looks like a lot of fun. Runzas I've heard of but not tried. Others, like the slugburger, are totally new to me. It also reminds me that it's been more than 20 years since I've eaten a Monte Cristo sandwich. I was going to ask if we had a unique Chicago sandwich, but in truth I think our basic sub sandwich (which I first loved at the original Fontana's on Taylor) on the French roll with giardinara is not easily found elsewhere. There's a beautiful large Italian owned supermarket, Zagora's, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio that I was in several times recently. No giardiara. Nothing to compare with a basic Turano's bun. Incomprehensible.
And look. I sucessfully did both a url and an emoticon. Very easy. I love the site.

I think Italian Beef is a unique and original Chicago sandwich. The Italian Sub is definitely not unique to Chicago. I am not sure where it originates, but there are a multitude of places across the country that do it. I agree it is hard to find done well in the Midwest, but in most eastern cities, you can find a good one in the old Italian neighborhoods. Outside those neighborhoods, the pernicious influence of Wonder Bread, Oscar Meyer Bologna and Mayonnaise comes into play and you end up with a dumbed down sub, IMO.

Nice link.

dicksond wrote:I think Italian Beef is a unique and original Chicago sandwich.

D,

I couldn't agree more with you. Isn't the addition of giardeniera (sp?) to subs and beef sandwiches, also a unique Chicago tradition?

Flip

I've never seen the Chicago Italian Beef duplicated elsewhere (surprising, seeing how Jay Leno plugs it all the time, and how many mediocre Philly Cheesesteaks there are around the country)... and I've always considered the pepper and egg to be the lenten substitute. But is it unique to Chicago? If it's eaten elsewhere, what does it replace?

I love the Jersey Mikes Sub chain. They bake their bread freesh in house and load it up with fresh sliced meats and cheeses. Make on mistake, its a Jersey Sub. The bread is far better than Turano's. But, there's no Giardinera.

www.jerseymikes.com

I haven't seen a Jersey Mike's sub chain yet, but will search them out. My favorite sandwich that I used to enjoy in New Jersey is as follows:

Italian roll (you don't really have the right bread here, use ciabatta bread that has a substantial yet absorbent inside with a sturdy crust outside)
tuna salad
chopped lettuce, onions, green peppers (lots)
pickles and pickled hot italian peppers
salt and pepper (lots)
olive oil and balsamic vinegar (just a splash)

wait 15-20 minutes to allow the tuna salad to warm up to room temperature before eating

I terrorize my local Quiznos to make this for me once in a while, but it's not the same.

Italian Beef is definitely unique to Chicago. I had never heard of it before coming here and it's now one of the "must try" food items I recommend to anyone visiting.

As to the giardinera on Italian subs, that's an interesting point. I recall visits to my grandparents in Philly where it's a "hoagie" instead of a sub. There's a hot pepper option but it's sliced cherry peppers rather than giardinera. I'm finding it difficult to believe that nobody else puts giardinera on their subs but can't say that I recall seeing it elsewhere. I'll put that on my things to look out for when traveling.

Calling a mixture of spicy vegetables giardinara is, as far as I can tell, a Chicago thing, like saying pop for soft drinks. There's two related issues on the table. First, in my experience, other city's subs can also have some type of hot pepper condiment, its just not called giardinara. I remember way back to a discussion of Baltimore hots on Chowhound. Second, the word giardinara is not unique to Chicago, but otherwise, and especially in Italy, refers to a mix of pickled vegetables. It is not that hard to find the more traditional giardinara around Chicago.

All that said, I agree with the sentiment, which I have expressed before, that the general state of subs in Chicago suffers from the nature of most commercial long rolls in Chicago. The soft, dense Gonella roll supports expertly, an Italian beef sammy, but as a sub base, I find it flawed.

Rob

Ann Fisher wrote:It also reminds me that it's been more than 20 years since I've eaten a Monte Cristo sandwich.

I'd have to disagree with the site author who describes a Monte Cristo as fried in butter. A proper version of the sandwich, to my mind, is deep fried and crispy (as is the Disneyland version she mentions). I first had this sandwich at the Michigan Union in Ann Arbor.

The only place I'm aware of that serves a proper, deep-fried Monte Cristo in Chicagoland is Bennigan's, though several Grecian diners offer the soggier French-toastlike version.